SNL promo catches Charles Barkley training for comedy

He says he's "not a comedian"

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Charles Barkley is hosting Saturday Night Live this weekend, and a new promo shows him in training for the gig.

The NBA Hall of Famer openly admits that he is “not a comedian,” in much the way he famously declared he is “not a role model” in a 1993 Nike ad. So, he goes to castmember Aidy Bryant in the clip for advice and help honing his comedic skills.

Barkley starts out by telling Bryant everything that he can’t do, leading Bryant to tease, “OK, so you’re crap, and you know it.”

Comedy boot camp

They then get down to work on what amounts to more or less a comedic boot camp. Bryant assumes the role of comic coach to give Barkley something from his basketball background that he can relate to. In fact, she is probably enjoying her whistle a little too much, since she blows it every time Barkley tries to tell her that he doesn’t do something comedy-related.

Barkley tells Bryant that he doesn’t “wear wigs for your amusement” and doesn’t “do characters,” but that of course directly leads into a bit where Bryant not only dons a huge Afro wig but also dresses up in various costumes to do character work and impersonations.

She isn’t too impressed by his impressions, either, including his bad pronunciation of “bonjour.”

“Too late Barkley. You’re still hosting SNL,” Bryant jokes, prompting Barkley to respond, “OK, let’s make this thing work.”

Barkley will host the comedy show on March 3, with Migos set to perform as musical guest.

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